Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. –I Thessalonians 5:16-18
These three prayers remind us to slow down, seek the stillness, to enjoy all of creation, to be grateful for all things, and most of all for God’s unconditional and eternal love. They come from “Prayers for Living.” They are all perfect for our vision quest in Lent and life.
Gracious God, help me simply stop for a moment to pay attention to the beauty of creation all around me. I am so grateful for water so still it can reflect the color of the world; for trees in full leafy green; for air so warm it relaxes my body and soul; for cool breezes that caress and awaken; for clouds that shift and puff; for azure skies that stretch beyond sight. Let me remember to simply stop for a moment and be filled with the gifts you have so abundantly given. Amen.
Gracious God, I ask you to plant a seed of stillness in my soul. Everything in my life moves ever more quickly, and I am continually expected to fit more things into time that is already brimful with activity. Even when I have moments that require nothing of me, my mind races and I seem unable to locate a switch to turn it off. Give me, each day, the desire and capacity to breathe in the wonder of air, to envision a still lake on a windless dawn, to drop deep into the well of my own being and find there the peace of your presence. I ask this for the sake of your love. Amen.
“Gracious God, in the busy-ness of my day, I sometimes forget to stop to thank you for all that is good in my life. My blessings are many and my heart is filled with gratefulness for the gift of living, for the ability to love and be loved, for the opportunity to see the everyday wonders of creation, for sleep and water, for a mind that thinks and a body that feels. I thank you, too, for those things in my life that are less than I would hope them to be; things that seem challenging, unfair, or difficult. When my heart feels stretched and empty, and pools of tears form in my weary eyes, still I rejoice that you are as near to me as my next breath and that in the midst of turbulence, I am growing and learning. In the silence of soul, I thank you most of all for your unconditional and eternal love. Amen